Description:

This exceptional pictorial rug, by the master weaver Molla Mohammad Hassan Mohtasham, represents a rare fusion of devotional narrative and Kashan's refined weaving tradition. The composition depicts a scene from the story of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), rendered with remarkable expressiveness and a painterly sense of color and detail. Framed by poetic cartouches, the design weaves both visual storytelling and written word into a unified, harmonious whole - a hallmark of the Mohtasham workshop's finest productions. Woven in extremely fine kork wool and demonstrating high knot density, this piece bears the hallmarks of the elite Mohtasham style: luminous pile, meticulous drawing, and striking color harmony. Mohtasham Kashans are revered for their delicate outlines, subtle abrash (color variation), and poetic elegance - qualities fully embodied in this rug's composition. Many of his works, particularly those depicting religious or poetic narratives, were unsigned, as humility and devotion were core values—especially when representing sacred subjects. Origin: Kashan, Iran Materials: Fine kork wool (cashmere) on cotton Dimensions: Length 210 cm / Width 130 cm Knot Density: Approx. 540,000 knots per m² Condition: Very good

  • Dimensions: Length 210 cm / Width 130 cm
  • Literature: Regarded as the crown jewel of 19th-century Persian weaving, Mohtasham Kashan carpets embody a moment of pure artistic virtuosity. Named after the revered master weaver Hadji Mollah Mohammad Hassan Kashan "Mohtasham" (active circa 1850 - 1890), these carpets were born in the central Persian city of Kashan, a historical hub of elite craftsmanship and Safavid legacy. The Mohtasham workshop elevated Persian rug-making to its zenith. These carpets are instantly recognized for their use of hand-spun, lanolin-rich lamb's wool, their luminous, silken pile, and knot densities reaching an astonishing 350 to 500 knots per square inch - an almost inconceivable feat of manual precision before the invention of steel looms. Each square inch contains hundreds of minuscule, hand-tied knots, producing a design clarity often compared to ink drawing or miniature painting. In the words of one collector "Each of my Mohtashams is a world unto itself - a world I study endlessly ". Designs vary from royal garden scenes to lyrical spirals, from soaring medallions to blossoming arabesques, all orchestrated with a musician's sense of rhythm and scale. The carpets are alive with peonies and clematis, perched birds and poetic symmetry, often outlined with pen-thin black curves - a technique known as "drawing" for how it mimics fine linework. Their colors, dyed from natural sources by masters akin to chemists, span celadons, flesh-toned apricots, pale turquoises, and powder blues achieved by layering plant dyes - and often incorporate abrash, soft striations that add movement and depth to the composition. Few artworks in any medium offer the tactile beauty and emotional resonance of a Mohtasham. {Only poets could have designed it... and only angels could have woven it,} wrote art historian Mercedes Palau-Ribes after encountering one. Today, these carpets are sought after not only as museum-grade collectables but as artistic investments - works that transcend utility and speak across centuries. Whether signed or not - as many were left anonymous out of spiritual humility - each Mohtasham carpet is a living echo of Persia's golden age of weaving. They do not simply decorate a space - they transform it.
  • Medium: Fine kork wool (cashmere) on cotton
  • Condition: Very good

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May 26, 2025 7:30 PM AST
Doha, Qatar

Albahie Auction House

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